Viña Tondonia 1982 Reserva

Wine: Viña Tondonia 1982 Reserva

Winery: R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia
Appellation / Region: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 50% Tempranillo, 30% Garnacho, 10% Mazuelo, 10% Graciano
ABV: 12.5%
Winemaking

The wine spent 6 months in old 60-hectoliter oak vats without temperature control until the completion of malolactic fermentation. It was then aged for five years in seasoned 225-liter American oak barrels, undergoing two rackings (trasiegas) per year. Fined with fresh egg whites and bottled without filtration. Aged in the bottle for a minimum of 6 years prior to its commercial release.

 

Tasting Notes
 

Appearance: Very pale reddish-ruby with medium-low depth; slightly grainy and turbid with very fine sediment at the base of the bottle. It shows orange highlights and a broad, tawny (tile-red) rim. Significant sense of evolution.

 

Nose: Slightly evolved on the nose—though not at all off-putting—free of reductive defects. It reveals aromas of candied, liqueur-like red fruit with a background trail of vanilla and wine-soaked staves. Open, soft, and creamy; it offers hints of sweet spices, cola candy, clove, and high-quality toasted notes (burnt coffee, cocoa powder). Very "Tondonian" in style, echoing the winery’s classic 6º Año bottlings.

 

Palate: Mature, creamy, and savory on the palate; very well-integrated with fine, clean tannins. It is remarkably easy to drink—harmonious, settled, and still lively thanks to more than sufficient acidity. This was one of the first few vintages of Viña Tondonia Reserva to carry a vintage date after decades of being labeled as 6º Año. In these early vintages, there are no notable stylistic differences between the two formats, unlike the winery's current red Reservas. Historically, Tempranillo has since gained prominence at the expense of Garnacha, Graciano, and Mazuelo.

 

Personal Score: 90
Tasting Group Score: 90